AceraEI Toolkit 1.0 – Free Remote Learning Projects
During this time of remote learning, we would like to share with you some resources. Feel free to use them, adapt them, and share them!
Acera enables young people to have a runway that fits their potential, developing the next generation of scientists, innovators, and leaders for our world. We are creating a microcosm of what is possible for all schools—early and deep exposure to STEM topics and innovative fields, practice in creative and complex thinking and problem solving, and opportunities to learn that align with students’ passions and capacities.
We plan on continuing to populate this list daily as more lessons are piloted and recorded. Email us if you want periodic updates as we add new activities and– over time– expand them into units. Please feel free to share this with others!
Five Steps to Successful Remote Learning for School Leaders & Families by Courtney Dickinson
NEW! Guide to At Home Remote-Learning for Parents/Caregivers: PDF
Activity Lessons
Creativity & Critical Thinking:
Symmetry Drawing (K-2): PDF
Radial Symmetry Pictures (2-4): PDF
Rock Art Photo Journal: Study of Cave Paintings (4-6): PDF
Hunting & Making Pigments (4-6): PDF
Scavenger Hunt (K-2): PDF
dreamSTEAM Academy (K-8): PDF
Math:
Containers & Beans (K-3): PDF
How Do I Measure? (3-6): PDF
The Cube: Origami Polyhedra Activity (4-8): PDF
Science:
Make Your Own Sundial (K-2, but older students may enjoy too): PDF
Potato Bubbles: A Chemical Reaction (3-9): PDF
The Original Viral Stars Part 1-3 (4-12):
Part 1: Are Viruses Alive: Student/Teacher Guide
Are Viruses Alive: Powerpoint
Are Viruses Alive: Presentation + Narration
Part 2: Hacking Viruses: Full Lesson
Hacking Viruses: Presentation + Narration
Part 3: How Do Viruses Exist: PDF
Our Beautiful Stinky Friend: A Practical Guide to Fermentation (4-12):
Part 1: Student/Teacher Guide: PDF
Presentation
Fermentation Bonus Video!
Four Ingredients, Limitless Possibilities (Make Your Own Bread): PDF
Engineering/Architecture:
A Bed for Goldilocks (K-2): PDF
Build a Fort & Optional Pulley System (K-8): PDF
Pollinator Architecture: Structure & Geometry (4-9): PDF
Material Exploration: Deconstructing Forms (4-9): PDF
Foil Float Challenge (K-4): PDF
LEGO Design Challenges (All Ages):
LEGO Animals Challenge! PDF
LEGO Animal Hospital Challenge: PDF
Tech Hub (All Ages):
Tech Hub is a place where students explore computers, smartphones, tablets, robotics, and other tech and is led by Acera’s Technology Manager, David Olson.
Respectful Disassembly: Keyboards Video
Tech Hub with Mr. David: Keyboard Reassembly Video
Mindfulness: Daily Connection Challenges!
Click on the links below for additional Daily Connection Challenges!
Day 2, Day 3, Day 4, Day 5, Day 6, Day 7, Day 8, Day 9
Day 10, Day 11, Day 12
Acera Teachers sharing their work via AceraEI: Art lessons by Camila Garcia Enriquez; Scavenger Hunt by Vanessa Roman; Math lessons by Debbie Seidel; A Bed for Goldilocks & Make Your Own Sundial by Amy Yuschik; Virology Science Lessons by Michael Hirsch; Daily Connection Challenges by Kim Machnik; LEGO Design Challenges by David Alsdorf; Engineering/Architecture Lessons by Estee Hill and Josh Briggs.
Sample Schedule (Emailed to students daily by teacher):
(Download a remote school daily agenda template)
8:30-9:00 am: Morning Work & Morning Meeting: 1. Head to the Padlet Morning Meeting (link here); 2. Download Zoom; 3. Typing Practice–can you organize a class nitro type tournament?
9:00-10:30 am: Literacy & Theme:
1. Writing–Join the Zoom call for a writing lesson! Have something to write with and be ready. Conference ID: XXX XXX XXX/Password: XXXXXX. We will also talk about the directions for book club. A recording of this Zoom call will be posted at the end of the meeting.
2. Book Clubs— Links to flip grid book clubs will be posted on Google Classroom at their scheduled times: a. Home of the Brave + Full Cicada Moon at 9:30 am; b. One and Only Ivan at 10:00 am.
10:30-11:00 am: Snack & Recess: Eat a healthy snack! Go outside and play or explore! Is there a snack that you can help prepare? Don’t forget to clean up after yourself!
11:00-12:00: Math: Math plans will be shared by your math teacher by 11:00!
12:00-1:00 pm: Lunch/Recess: Eat a healthy lunch! Go outside and play or take a fun break, go on a run or walk around the block, do something active! If you can’t go outside, try an exercise, yoga or dance video.
1:00 pm: Read Aloud: Join a Zoom Call for Read Aloud. Conference ID: XXX XXX XXX/Password: XXXXXX. Video will be posted afterwards in case you can’t be online at that time.
1:30-3:00 pm: Architecture: We will sent out architecture design plans after lunch today!
To be informed of new lessons, suggestions and resources, please send us an email to aceraei@aceraschool.org!
For more information on who we are, click below!
At Acera, we believe a school’s success can be measured far beyond its standardized test scores. How happy are its students? Do they feel a sense of purpose at school? Are they developing a capacity for perspective taking and problem solving? Are teachers using evidence-based approaches to pedagogy? Acera’s Education Innovation team is working to change how we measure education to include students’ core capacities, faculty’s use of evidence-based practices, a positive school culture, and standards and achievement.
Tech Hub enables students to emerge as community-minded technologists able to solve problems to benefit the whole school. More a philosophy than a place, Tech Hub can start as simply a cart in a cafeteria with one student fired up to be a knowledgable, technically skillful community member. Concurrently developing emotional intelligence skills and a wide array of technological abilities, Tech Hub members model and spread an attitude of fearlessness at using STEM tools to solve real problems.
Small children can understand big ideas, and computer science is no exception. Acera’s hands-on “Computers and Me” curriculum introduces early elementary students to computer science concepts, and is one example of many creative ways computational thinking and technical fluency can be developed throughout K-12 education, starting at age 5. Pilot-tested and ready to translate for adoption by public schools, these computer science learning approaches help students become facile and fearless.
What if math classes are organized based on what each student is ready to learn, rather than by age? This f
How can educators unleash the initiative and creativity inherent in all children? 